Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-03-25
TAConA,s WASTED oPPsRTrNTTr.

The PosT-INTKLLTozScER has mods
position to belittEe Tacoma, nor has 10
the least inclination 70 say anQht that
vill FstaRd her progress. Il would like
70 see Tacoma grow to be a city Of
afluenos add strength and Der eitizsns
prosperous and hsppy. Hence, IL IL
With feeling Of sympathy rather than
shat Of exnItation, shat We comment
upon her wasted opportunity. There
was q time when, II the citizsns Of Ia
coma had evineed the same interest and
enterprise IN tbe building up Of tkeir
city as vas shown By tbs northern Pa
eifo Railway; when, II they had helped
themselves Ia the same industrious and
liberal way that this corporation helped
them. We would nov see quite differ
snt state Of things. We would see the
Northern Pacific coming over the Cas-
eades with banners flying and triam-
phaatly entering Tscoua, instead Of
disappointed railway management look
ina upon lis favored town with distrust
because II sees bat little business await
Ing 10 and the promise Of that which II
makes for the future. We would see
progressive city running meek and
nesA" with Seattle In the race for So
premacy instead Of a laRRaEd town
which has waited for the railroad to do
II aIl, and is now farming against 1t be-
cause the road IL unable 10 give the
prosperity for which she has so long
hoped.
Ills net an impairment question for
ne 10 ask, What more can Tacoma
reasonably ask Of the Northern Paoifie7
The road has expended at least q quar-.
ter Of q million dollars 10 avoid the
Snoqualnie Pass and thus reach Taco.
ma by another than the natural Seattle
route. II has given to Tacoma a fine
church building, schools, hotel, gas
works, water works. aided in q substan-
tial way the baildinR OF the best bust
ness property, and paid out not less than
$1,000 10 advertise her. And for all
this Tacoma is not grateful. but mad,
a. Bailey GatxeFt hss well said, because
the road will not build them ware
houses, Oil them With goods and send
them drummers 10 sell them.
Nov. what are the conditions here In
Scatter LIE. the disinleFes.ed stranger,
Who has made them study With view
OF settling either here or at Tacoma,
answer. The Posi- ISTELIIaKxoKR will
venture TO say, however, that Seattle's
dark days have gone by and from The
disOouragemsnts Of those days these
fearless, enterprisine men have forged
q blessing. The healthy prosperity Of
this city Is 10 no snail degree the result
OF that training which opposition gave
the men upon whom Seattle has De
pended for development. Like the
enemies Of courageous man those
forces, which at times seemed strong
enough to lift and bear Seattle away.
have made for our citizens b1ne and
sineW, and taught them to know no
sush word as fail.
The Posr-lSTnLIoESoER has hereto
fore been Of the opinion that the com
meroial advantages Of the Puget sound |
country. with its fertile valleys, with
forests deep, aAd mountains 30 rich ia |
iron and coal, and backed by the most
productive wheat growing country in
the world, would warrant the building
Of two or more cities on the Sound, and
u believed that Tacoma would be one
OF them. Ia that IL now sees its mis-.
take, since raoomA has wasted her OPP
poFtnnity and thus given TO seat,ls such
Advantages As will force all interests to
'enter here for protection. /.